Since my large scale identity theft, I have been a looking for different ways to keep on top of my credit info. (A free report from each Bureau, once a year, hardly cuts it when someone steals your identity. A lot of damage can be done in one day).

I did pay for monitoring for a year, and since things have settled down (only one or 2 days of fraudulent activity) I have to figure they threw out my info, and that's that. I don't feel as pressed to monitor daily, for eternity. I have also had a lot of opportunity to test the fraud alert on my credit bureau accounts. So far, any vendor I have used has honored the alert and called me to verify that I am me. I can't say the same for the kinds of institutions that let you open a credit card and max it out in five seconds, even when you have 5 credit inquiries the day before. So I am not sure it means much.

I have sinced sign up for a Class Action settlement (Experian?) that is useless. I saw my credit report once, and should be able to check it every day online, for a year, if I like. But due to my fraud alert they will make me jump through a ton of hoops every time I Want to check it. Great! I give up.

I signed up for Credit Karma, which I mentioned before. This one I like. It's a FAKO score, but they actually tell you how many accounts and inquiries you have, etc. Which is a good clue to see if something changes suddenly. Downside is that it does only pull from one credit Bureau. But the FAKO score is a clue, if it were to suddenly plumment.

Interestingly, Alliant Credit Union gives me the same FAKO score (they update it quarterly), and it was the same one that the settlement used.

Anyway, while things are calm, Credit Karma is a good tool to keep an eye on things.

I logged in yesterday (after a reminder from the site: www.creditkarma.com) and there was nothing to see. IT was interesting though. The concept behind Credit Karma is to pull your personal data, and offer you ways to save money.

I had offers from 1.3% interest rates. Their data showed I Was receiving 0.5% at my bank. (Um, try 2%. The 1.3% isn't impressing me).

They were trying to sell me mortgages that cost me more than my current one. It's hard to find a better interest rate than my fixed 4.875%. Certainly nothing worth refinancing for.

Life insurance and car and auto insurance that costs MORE.

I really rarely get a legit offer, like in the mail, that would actually save me any money. We keep REALLY on top of that stuff. IT can make a huge difference.

Credit Karma is going to have to try a lot harder to impress me.

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On the radio the other day, there was a discussion about identity theft.

After the blah blah blah, there was mention of mail theft. This perked up my ears. Had a lot of mail theft issue in this area and I believe the mail is where my big ID theft, and a little credit card number theft, took place.

I was dissapointed when all they said was put your mail in a locked mail box. Pffft. Doesn't everyone know that? I don't even have an unlocked mailbox.

I was dissapointed they did not say, "Do not put personal information in the mail unless you absolutely have to." That's what I would advise. Of course, my city is filled with rogue mail carriers. I do avoid the U.S. mail if at all possible, after quite a few shady experiences. (Mail slowed down, things always dissapear for weeks/months, culminating in a check washing scheme centered in the post office. Yeah. I also believe an IRA rollover application of mine, that dissapeared, was stolen by a U.S. postal worker. IT's the only thing I have ever 100% lost in the mail. The mail can still be slow - which is a very bad sign. I wonder what the heck they are up to these days).